Nearest Thing to Heaven (Paperback)

Mark Kingwell

ISBN 10: 0300126123 / ISBN 13: 9780300126129

Published by Yale University Press, New Haven, 2007

About this Item

Paperback. A new perspective on a beloved cultural icon, its place in our history, and its meaning in the American imagination This elegantly written appreciation of the Empire State Building opens up the buildings richness and importance as an icon of America. The book leads us through the facts surrounding the skyscrapers conception and construction, then enters into a provocative theoretical discussion of its function as an icon, its representation in pictures, literature, and film, and the implications of its iconic status as New Yorks most important architectural monument to ambition and optimism. The Empire State Building literally cannot be seen in its totality, from any perspective. And paradoxically, this building of unmistakable solidity has been made invisible by familiarity and reproduction through imagery. Mark Kingwell encourages us to look beneath the strong physical presence of the building, to become aware of its evolving layers of meaning, and to see how the building lives within a unique imaginative space in the landscape of the American consciousness. He offers new ways of understanding the Empire State Building in all its complexity and surprising insights into its special role as an American icon. The Empire State Building literally cannot be seen in its totality, from any perspective. This book encourages us to look beneath the strong physical presence of the building, to become aware of its evolving layers of meaning, and to see how the building lives within a unique imaginative space in the landscape of the American consciousness. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780300126129

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Nearest Thing to Heaven (Paperback)
• Publisher: Yale University Press, New Haven
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0300126123
• ISBN 13: 9780300126129
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

A new perspective on a beloved cultural icon, its place in our history, and its meaning in the American imagination

This elegantly written appreciation of the Empire State Building opens up the building’s richness and importance as an icon of America. The book leads us through the facts surrounding the skyscraper’s conception and construction, then enters into a provocative theoretical discussion of its function as an icon, its representation in pictures, literature, and film, and the implications of its iconic status as New York’s most important architectural monument to ambition and optimism. The Empire State Building literally cannot be seen in its totality, from any perspective. And paradoxically, this building of unmistakable solidity has been made invisible by familiarity and reproduction through imagery. Mark Kingwell encourages us to look beneath the strong physical presence of the building, to become aware of its evolving layers of meaning, and to see how the building lives within a unique imaginative space in the landscape of the American consciousness. He offers new ways of understanding the Empire State Building in all its complexity and surprising insights into its special role as an American icon.
 

About the Author

Mark Kingwell is professor of philosophy, University of Toronto, a contributing editor of Harper’s Magazine, and the author of eight books.